Appealing to Foundations

Wednesday, December 3, 2008 -- Week of 1 Advent; Year One

Today's Readings for the Daily Office (Book of Common Prayer, p. 936)
Psalms 119:1-24 (morning) 12, 13, 14 (evening)
Isaiah 1:1-11
1 Thessalonians 2:13-20
Luke 20:19-26

There is a footnote in the Access Bible that I use for my daily scripture reading that comments on two words in the question that challenges Jesus in today's gospel. First, here is the question: "Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?"

The footnote expands: "To show deference would mean to allow political influence to prevail over truth. Lawful means in accord with God's law as interpreted by Israel's teachers."

The questioners do not speak to Jesus innocently. They seek to trap him. Yet they give deference to the ideal that truth and integrity should prevail over political contrivance and that God's intention should ground our behavior. The know the foundation from which their community has been built. They know the truth, and they appeal to it, but their question is a betrayal of the very words they endorse. Their question is a political contrivance intended to compromise Jesus through the threat of the secular law of the occupying Romans. Their question violates their principles.

The name of the capital city of Israel is Jerusalem. The name of the city has meaning. There are various interpretations, but one proposal is that the word Jerusalem is a combination of the two Hebrew words meaning "legacy" and "peace." (Yerusha and shalom) The second syllable of the name might also reference the word "shalem" meaning "whole" or "in harmony." Jerusalem is a city that is named as a place whose legacy is peace, wholeness and harmony.

Isaiah imagines a time when Jerusalem lives into its heritage, when many nations shall come in harmony to learn God's ways in this holy city. Justice and peace will flow from Jerusalem. "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."

Isaiah presents these principles and this heritage to the people of his day even has he condemns them for their having betrayed their principles. He accuses them of greed, idolatry, love of luxury, and indifference to the needs of the poor. Isaiah calls them to return to their values and foundations.

As I read these two stories, I think about Washington, our capital city. It is named for one who embodied the principles and ideals of our foundations. George Washington was a man of integrity and honesty, who put service before self-interest. He was a man of honor who wore his power gently. How different might our nation be if we would only live into the values of our foundation. How much more whole and peaceful might we be if truth and integrity prevailed over political contrivance and if God's intention grounded our behavior as a people.

How peaceful might our world be if Washington and Jerusalem worked together to live into the heritage of their origins. We have inherited legacies of peace, wholeness and harmony; of honesty, integrity and service. This is our deepest identity and truth. Can the taxes and power of the emperor be shaped to serve the purposes of God? Isaiah believed that they can. So do I.

Lowell

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About Morning Reflections
Morning Reflections is a brief thought about the scripture readings from the Daily Office of Morning and Evening Prayer according to the practice found in the Book of Common Prayer of the Episcopal Church.

Morning Prayer begins on p. 80 of the Book of Common Prayer.
Evening Prayer begins on p. 117

An online resource for praying the Daily Office is found at www.missionstclare.com
Another form of the office from Phyllis Tickle's "Divine Hours" is available on our partner web site www.ExploreFaith.org at this location -- http://explorefaith.org/prayer/fixed/index.html


The Mission of St. Paul's Episcopal Church
is to explore and celebrate
God's infinite grace, acceptance, and love.

Visit our web site at www.stpaulsfay.org

Our Rule of Life

We aspire to...
worship weekly
pray daily
learn constantly
serve joyfully
live generously.

Lowell Grisham, Rector

St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas